The app, similar to those available for iOS and the BlackBerry OS, lets users search online without needing to fire up a browser. However, it will not work on Windows RT-based systems such as the Surface tablet that will go on sale this Friday.

The company is serving up some of its latest Android functionality to all smartphone and tablet users via the mobile web, by delivering 'cards' derived from its Knowledge Graph semantic search framework

The Handwrite setting on iOS and Android devices allows input for Google search terms by writing anywhere on the phone/tablet screen. Google has entered the input by handwriting arena, albeit in a limited fashion, ahead of the release of Windows 8 with its similar function.

The next version of Android, which will debut on Google's own Nexus 7 tablet, promises better voice-driven search to take on Apple's Siri, as well as a personal assistant tool and key features for developers